Trust Me, I'm A Rebel
by RamenNoodlesInACup
Summary: A story through Mockingjay about a girl named Ithalia Cranger who won before Peeta and Katniss. Follow her and see just how she played her role in the rebellion. REALLY A/U, AND A LITTLE MATURENESS AHEAD. ENTER MY TWISTED MIND IF YOU WANT TO. Basically, a baby, rape, a little bit of torture, Cinna/OC, Everlark, Hayffie, Fannie, GaJo(Gale/Johanna), and even some Coin/Snow ahead.
1. Prologue

**I warn you, before you continue, this whole thing (excluding my A/N) is 5,016 words. You'll have be reading for a awhile. Anyways, this is mostly going to be Mockingjay and Post-Mockingjay Centric. Which is why the ending of Catching Fire is the prologue, so you guys wouldn't be lost. I hope you enjoy my little story below.**

**Disclaimer: I can barely write my own story without getting frustrated. I could never create the masterpiece that Suzanne Collins created. Never.**

"You know Caesar," Ithalia Cranger crosses her legs and stares into the camera instead of at Caesar Flickerman. "I think these Games will certainly be a thing to remember. A certain... _someone_ is going to make this worthwhile." Her ruby red lips curl into a knowing smile.

"What-" The buzzer goes off and the crowd groans in agony. "Times up. Any final comments?" He asks. Thalia stands up and swipes at her eyes. It is times like these that she's glad she's such an emotional person.

"I just want him to know, and he knows who he is, that I never planned for it to be this way. And that I will forever miss his love." And with that, she walks off stage. She can see the tear fall from his eyes. All her Capitol affairs, even her love affairs that weren't Capitol, they thought that it was them. But only he knows who it was. Only he knows exactly why she used her choice of words.

* * *

As she lay in her bed that night, she knows he won't come. Not after Katniss' dress that night. Not after the supposed 'child'. It would seem too scandalous. And scandal was the last thing the 'Star-Crossed Lovers' needed. So the District Two tribute pulls the covers up to her chin and waits for the other _him _to enter. And when he does, Ithalia is slightly glad Peeta couldn't come.

"I can't do it." Thalia mutters. His arms wrap around her and the smell of whiskey fills her nostrils. It must be taking a toll on him, he never drinks.

"You can do this, honey. You got this." He whispers. Thalia isn't sure if it's the alcohol on his breath, or his actual warm breath that makes the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

"I don't. I can't," Thalia drops her voice to a low whisper, in case of the microphones she knows are there. "_Blow up a force field." _Finnick chuckles and smooths down her blonde locks. It's a thing he always does after an 'appointment' or an un-organized client. The ones that don't want to pay for their company.

"If Haymitch could make it work, baby doll, then you can. Besides, all we have to do is just follow Beetee's instructions. This will work, I promise you."

"What if I die?" She asks. Finnick's breath hitches. His voice is a low growl, she can hear it rumbling in his chest. Finnick is sensitive about words like that, but it's a possibility that the pair have to take into account.

"You won't. I promise. Stick with Jo, Nuts, and Volts. You'll be fine honey. I promise." He begins to rock her. And the seventeen-year-old falls asleep like that. Being rocked and having sweet-nothings whispered in her ear.

_You reader, may seem a little confused. Let me explain this to you. Ithalia Cranger had volunteered as the District Two female for the Third Quarter Quell. Her brother-like figure, Finnick, had convinced her to do so for the rebellion. That, as we speak, is being discussed between Haymitch Abernathy and Plutarch Heavensbee. Our protagonist, is in-love with Peeta Mellark. Who by the way, has no ideas about said rebellion. Do you get it now? Okay then, let's fast forward to the morning of the Games._

"Are you ready?" her stylist, Ramona, asks. Ramona had been her stylist in first Games. At first she was a little ditzy, but after seeing a close friend have to fight to the death, then she started to realize. Said stylist is also in on the rebellion, but Thalia does not know this.

"No. But do I really have a choice?" Ithalia asks. Ramona considers this before shaking her head.

"Sorry sweets, but honestly, none of us do." She says. Ithalia finishes off her apple and steps into the glass cylinder. The cylinder closes, but nothing happens. Ramona raises a quizzical eyebrow, and Ithalia shrugs. And then _they_ enter. They grab Ramona, who surrenders immediately. The peacekeepers put a gun to her head, and then Ithalia's tube starts to rise. Her eyes widen and she screams _no_. Just as the light pours into the cylinder, Ramona crumples to the ground.

Thalia doesn't have time to contemplate why they killed her stylist and friend. It's twenty seconds into the gong. She scans the arena. There are what appears to be twelve strips of land leading towards the Cornucopia. which rest on a small island. In between the strips of land, is nothing but water. Finnick is right at home. Behind her, nothing but jungle. It's a pretty scenery, with a pink sky and fluffy clouds. But she has feeling this is not a typical rainbows and unicorns arena.

10. Thalia poises her legs to dive in.

9. She thinks about Ramona.

8. She_ stops_ thinking about Ramona.

7. She stares straight ahead at the set of knives.

6. _Those are all mine._

5. She also sees a crossbow.

4. _That too._

3. She looks for Johanna.

2. Johanna is no where in sight.

1. No time to think now.

0. She dives right into the water, her legs kicking faster than anything. Often times she got passes to visit Finnick. During those times, she learned to swim, and this now comes in handy. She's on the strip in almost seconds, milliseconds after Finnick and Katniss. She propels her already tired legs forward and grabs for the knives. She gets one in her hand just as the morphling from six lunges at her. The blade lodges itself in his temple, and he's out for the count. She does a tuck and roll and comes up on the other side with another knife. By now, Brutus has joined her on the Cornucopia. He smiles and hands her the crossbow she had stared at. The points on the arrows are serrated, and dangerous. It takes her a second to find it, but on the scope, there are carvings. TC. Thalia Cranger. This is her weapon, from when she practiced in the Training Center at home.

"Thanks." Thalia says. The woman from Ten lunges at her with a sword and slashes at her side. Thalia sticks her blade into the woman's eye, and pulls out the blade. Said eyeball hangs on the end and Gloss laughs at her.

"You ain't so innocent now, are you?" Her previous love affair teases. She rolls her eyes and flicks the eyeball off of her blade. As she does, the man from ten bellows and races at her. He slices at her leg, but his knife is close distance and it puts him at disadvantage. She stabs him the chest, and then flips to the blunt end of the blade and knocks him in the head.

"Thalia!" Johanna yells. Thal turns at the Career Pack. They're preoccupied. She bolts down a strip towards the group, and she can hear Cashmere yelling.

"Look! Traitor bitch!" Cashmere screams. Out of the corner of her eye, she can see the knives whizzing at her. One comes as close as her ear. It's time to get out of here. She runs faster, and as soon as she reaches the team, she tosses Wiress on her back.

"C'mon, hurry!" Thalia screams, sliding her bow over her shoulder, and then the group is gone into the Jungle. They should have stayed on the beach, no matter how dangerous it was.

* * *

"Look, Jo! It's raining!" Blight screams. Everyone opens their mouths thirstily. Ithalia immediately closes hers.

"It's blood rain! Let's get out of here!" She shouts. She grabs the closest technician, Beetee, and begins to run. They stumble around, trying to find an exit. It's nothing but red. Red everything. They can't see, the rain is so thick. Thalia blindly reaches out, and her fingers graze a tree. She manages to slip off her shoe, and find that it's still nothing but Jungle. They're nowhere close to the beach.

"Blight? Where's Blight?" She can hear Johanna shout. On her back is Wiress, who is wildly screaming 'Tick Tock! Tick Tock!'.

"I don't know! Blight! Damnit Blight!" Ithalia cries. She searches blindly for the older man, uncertain of the fit Johanna will have if they can't find him.

"I'm right-" There is bright flash of sparks and light, and then a sizzling sound. There's the smell of burnt flesh and a canon. He ran into the force field.

"Shit!" Beetee yells nervously. Thalia shifts him to her back and goes on stumbling. Wondering aimlessly around, until they wind up on a beach. She drops Beetee and Johanna drops Wiress. Jo throws herself into a tantrum, and Thalia sits. Exasperated from dehydration and lack of sleep, she feels like passing out.

"Johanna?!" It's Finnick. She looks up to see Finnick, Katniss, and Peeta. Then... the canon last night... was it...? No. It couldn't have been Mags. Finnick would die himself before letting the old woman die. But then where is she?

"Finnick!" Johanna screams. The two embrace before he lifts Thalia to her feet and hugs her.

"What happened?" he asks, looking worriedly at the sticky blood that coats them. Thalia can't speak, she keeps sputtering. But Johanna has found the words, and she hurriedly explains what happens.

"At first we thought it was rain, Fin. And we were so thirsty, so we opened our mouths to drink. Then it was blood. We couldn't swallow without getting a mouthful. Then that's when Blight ran into the force field," Johanna pauses. "He wasn't much, but he was from home, y'know?" Suddenly Wiress grabs onto Johanna shouting.

"Tick tock! Tick tock! TICK TOCK!" She shouts. Johanna gets frustrated then.

"Yeah, yeah, Tick tock. Just stay down will you?!" She shoves Nuts to the ground and that's when Katniss steps in. Now Thalia can no longer keep her eyes open, and knowing that she is weak and needs to stay up, she falls asleep anyways.

* * *

When Thalia wakes again, she is clean. Even her blonde hair has been washed and combed. She wonders how they did that. She sits up, and is vaguely aware of the pain in her side and leg. With all the previous adrenaline pumping through her, she hadn't felt it. But now it hits her in waves and she has to lean against a tree.

"You okay, honey?" Finnick asks gently. Thalia frowns.

"I'm afraid so." She says, and pushes herself off the tree.

"Don't talk like that." Finnick warns. Ithalia shrugs and limps over to the group. Johanna greets her with a scallop.

"Thanks." She says, devouring the food hungrily. Peeta hands her some water, and for the small instant their fingers touch she melts. She only sips the canteen before stretching. Already, she's bored.

"I feel like killing something." She mutters. Katniss has her hands on her bow almost instantly, but everyone else- everyone else being Johanna- agrees.

"Me too. Maybe... a fetus." Jo snarls at Katniss. It's obvious the two women already had a bad start. Thalia rolls her green eyes.

"I don't know. Maybe. Who's all left?" Thal asks.

"Let's see. Cashmere, Gloss, You, Brutus, Beetee, Wiress, Finnick, Myself, Draygen from 9, Chaff, Katniss, Peeta. Everyone important." Jo shrugs. Ithalia nods and munches at a piece of fish. It's blunt, and a little harsh, but true. Everyone that is needed for the rebellion is alive. Well exclude Cashmere, Gloss, and Draygen. The rebels are just using them as pawns in their Games.

"Hm... I'm running low on ammunition. Come with me to the Cornucopia." Thalia says, to stop thinking about the upcoming revolution.

"TICK TOCK!" Wiress screams.

"Tick tock, tick tock." Thalia tries to soothe her. Then it clicks. It all makes sense now.

"Wiress, you're a genius! Guys, guys, wait. How long does each little thing in the area last. Like... Johanna, how long did this blood rain last?" Thalia asks. Johanna frowns.

"'Bout an hour. What're getting at?"

"Just wait, I'll make my point in a minute. Katniss, you mentioned a blistering fog, correct? How long did that last?"

"An hour. So?" She asks confused. Beetee smiles. It seems he has realized it too. He is a little ashamed, though. That he didn't get it before Thalia.

"Keep going, they'll get it Thalia." He encourages her. Thalia nods and turns to Finnick.

"And the monkeys? How long did they last?" She asks. Finnick brightens up and catches on.

"An hour. A clock. This place is a clock. The cornucopia it points at twelve. At midnight, lighting strikes. Then at one, blood rain. Then at two, poisonous gas. At three-"

"Monkeys. Then from ten to eleven is the wave. What's in the rest?" Beetee asks. It seems to dawn on the others and Katniss gnaws on her lip.

"Then... we have something to worry about. But you're a genius Wiress." She grins. Thalia nods and hugs the older woman.

"She's more than a genius. She's intuitive." Beetee says. He squeezes Wiress' hand, who has starting singing now. Johanna rolls her brown eyes at this.

"C'mon, let's go get some more supplies." She says. The group stands and head to the cornucopia. There, Peeta takes a large leaf and a knife and carves a clock. He fills it in with information as the group hunt down weapons. Johanna, Finnick, and Thalia return armed to the teeth in tridents, knives, crossbows, and axes. They hover as Peeta draws out the map, filling it with the events. Suddenly, there is silence. Katniss and Johanna catch on before everyone else does. Ithalia turns to see Wiress falling to the ground- her throat a bloody red smile-, and Gloss advancing towards them. Katniss allows an arrow to bury itself in his temple. Thalia shoots Cashmere's leg, momentarily disabling her, and then Johanna sends an axe flying into her chest. Three cannons fire. Thalia uses her foot to block a spear thrown at Peeta, and Finnick takes knife for her, which was delivered by Brutus. Draygen-who she hadn't noticed before- throws a rock at her head. Things go fuzzy.

It all happens in a split second. Brutus and Draygen take off on a strip towards the jungle. The cornucopia starts to spin. She catches a glimpse of Brutus, her once-upon-a-time friend, laughing at her. Thalia desperately tries to cling to the rock, but it's hard as she's losing consciousness.

"Jo!" Thalia screams. Johanna extends the end of her axe towards her, and Thalia hangs on for dear life. Soon, the cornucopia slams to a stop. She empties everything that had been resting in her stomach before slumping against the edge. Her last glimpses of consciousness is of Beetee and Finnick dragging her down the strip. Then things go black.

* * *

"Wake up Thal! Go with Finnick and Katniss to go get water!" Johanna screams. Her eyes snap open and she takes a deep breath.

"Ugh... can't you let me stay unconscious for more minutes?" She asks, her speech slurred. It's either the knock to the head, the dizziness she fell asleep on, or the fact that she is now starving, but her head pounds harder than any of her previous hangovers.

"No. Now go." Johanna shoves her crossbow into her fingers, and hands her a knife. Thal stands, and after shaking out the sleep, begins to follow Katniss and Finnick. They're getting water, well, Katniss is. Finnick and Thalia keep a good lookout for nothing. No one will attack.

_"KATNISS! KATNISS HELP ME! KATNISS!"_ And then a girls agonizing scream. It takes minutes for it to register, but once it does, Thalia's eyes widen. The girls say it at the same time. The voice would be hard to recognize.

"PRIM!"

"Prim." And Katniss is gone. She's dropped everything and started to run. Thalia groans. _This is to cruel to be cruel, _she thinks_, how could they stoop that low?_

"Katniss no! It's not real!" Finnick screams. Thalia picks up her bow and arrows and runs after them. Just as they burst into the clearing, another voice starts up. This time, she recognizes it immediately and has time react.

"Finnick," She holds him by his waist to keep him from propelling forward. "Finnick, darling, it's not her. It's not Annie. I promise you." As she finishes her sentence, a voice, oh-so-familiar and real starts up. This time, everything else leaves her name except for one thing. _Why is he in the Games?_

"NIKO!" She screams. Niko resonates in her ears. Her real brother, the man who raised her.

"NIKO!" She screams again, and begins to run towards him. Finnick grabs her this time, and prevents her from going any further. He rocks and smooths down her hair. She is shaking from fear.

"It's not real, honey. It's not them... it's not her... or him... baby doll..." Thalia gets the vague feeling he's trying to comfort himself but she shakes her head. Suddenly green lock onto green as she makes a realization.

"Finnick... those voices... jabberjays copy. Oh Finnick, where'd they get those sounds? Where? Think, big brother. Think." Three more voices start-up. he recognizes all three. Gale, for Katniss. Esme, Finnick's little sister. And Ferna, her sister.

"FERNA!" Thalia runs to the left towards the voice.

"ESME!" Finnick follows close behind dragging,

"GALE!" Katniss along with him. The beach clearing comes into view, and the trio see Johanna, Peeta, and Beetee waiting on the other side. Finnick tries to run to Johanna, but instead he causes a bloody nose by running into a glass wall. Katniss and Peeta touch hands against the glass. Beetee glares at the jabberjays surrounding the trio. Thalia begins to slam her shoulder into the glass, desperate to break out. She hears a sharp _crack _and then there's a pain in her shoulder. Two jabberjays land on her shoulders, blasting in her ear.

_"THALIA, WHY WON'T YOU SAVE ME!? THEY'RE HURTING ME BIG SISTER! PLEASE HELP ME!"_

"FERNA! I'M SO SORRY!"

_"THAL, IT HURTS. HELP ME, PLEASE. HELP ME LITTLE SISTER! AHHHHH!" _

"NIKO! NO NIKO! PLEASE!" Thalia rocks. And rocks, and cries, and screams and kicks and calls for them. Suddenly someone is rocking her, and whispering to her,

"It wasn't real. Thal, Thal listen to me. It wasn't real. Okay? It wasn't real." It's Johanna, and she's trying.

"Where are they getting the voices, Jo? Where?" She asks desperately. Johanna looks to Beetee for answers, and he sighs.

"It's probably a twisted recording. They took an interview with her and then... twisted it into a scream?" He puzzles. Johanna snaps her fingers in front of her face.

"Thalia honey, listen. It's the final eight, what happens during the final eight. Every year?" Johanna asks.

"They do something to push us together?" Thalia is puzzled. _What does this have to do with anything? And why is my shoulder hurting so bad?_

"No, honey, no. They interview our families. Ferna and Niko have to be alive. Ferna is what, eight?"

"Nine."

"Mhm, nine. Everyone loved her during your games, I remember 'cause the cameras wouldn't get out her face. They wouldn't kill Ferna or Prim, they're too lovable. They wouldn't kill Annie, she's a Victor. And they sure as hell wouldn't kill Niko. They need him for an interview. See, everyone is going to be okay."

"What 'bout Gale?" Katniss squeaks. Johanna sighs in annoyance.

"Brainless, think. They need Gale and Prim as much as they need Ferna and Niko. More than they need Ferna and Niko. The almost need him more than they need Annie. His face... he's a bit of a special something in the Capitol." Johanna teases with a wink. Katniss relaxes a little though, and soon they're all on they're feet again. Johanna heads back in for water, and Thal witness Katniss grab her hand. She mutters something unintelligible. Johanna's eyes find Thalia.

"They can't hurt me. I'm not like you. I have no else I love." And with that, Jo is gone.

* * *

Finnick, Johanna and Thalia are preparing their weapons when Beetee calls everyone over. He seems excited, which is a rarity unless it was Wiress. Nobody knows how he's going to cope without her.

"What's up Volts?" Jo asks. Thalia lies on her stomach and looks up at the brainiac. They've managed to knock her shoulder back into place, but it still hurts. And to sit up, she knows that she would lean on her arms.

"I may have figured out a way to take out the rest." He says. Thalia frowns.

"Not Chaff, I hope. He's... not Chaff." She says. Finnick and Johanna exchange looks. _What is up with her and always wanting to be protecting someone?_

"Not Chaff, dear. The careers. Or rather, Brutus and Draygen." Beetee is beaming and the rest lean in eagerly. He takes a stick and draws a wobbly circle, cutting it into twelve pieces.

"Okay, if you were Brutus and Draygen, knowing what you do know, where would you feel the safest?" He asks. Johanna gnaws her lip and shrugs.

"Where we are now. The beach." Peeta says. Johanna glares at him. "It's the safest place." He finishes.

"So why aren't they on the beach?" Beetee asks, like a teacher schooling a bunch of students. Thalia gets the vague feeling of a pre-schooler trying to learn a theory of mathematics.

"Because we're here." Johanna says impatiently. Katniss' presence is irking the rebel, and she is not in the mood to play Games.

"Exactly. We're here. Claiming the beach. Now where would you go?" Beetee asks. Thalia brightens up.

"I'd hide just at the edge of the jungle. So I could escape if attack came." She says proudly.

"So I could spy too, or eat. Who knows what the jungle is full of?" Finnick asks. Beetee grins and nods.

"Yes, good. You do see. Now here's what I propose; a twelve o' clock strike. What happens exactly at noon and midnight?" He asks. Katniss frowns.

"The lightning hits the tree." She says.

"Mhm, so what I'm suggesting is that after the bolts hits the tree at noon, but before it hits midnight, we run my wire from that tree all the way down into the saltwater, which is of course, highly conductive. When the bolt strikes, the electricity will travel down the wire and into not only the water, but the surrounding beach, which will be damp from the ten to eleven wave. Anyone in contact with those surfaces would be electrocuted."

"BRUTUS BARBEQUE!" Johanna cheers. Thalia rolls her eyes.

"What if the wire burns?" Peeta asks.

"It won't." Beetee says.

"How d'you know?" Finnick asks through a mouthful of fish. Beetee looks annoyed. Thalia can't figure out if it's because their incompetence or the fact that Finnick just sprayed a little bit of food on his shirt. She goes with both.

"_Because I made it._ It's not _real_ wire, but nor is that_ lightning_ real or that tree. Johanna, you know about trees. That tree would be fried by now, wouldn't it?" He asks.

"Yep." Johanna says glumly. It hits Thalia and Finnick at the same time.

"Where will be when this happens?" They ask together. Thalia nudges Finnick and he grins at her.

"Far enough into the Jungle so we won't get burnt." Beetee replies.

"Hmm... well, what's the worst that could happen? We turn into stir fry? C'mon, Peeta knows what that's like. It's the easiest way to die." Thalia jokes. Peeta smirks a little, but Katniss just growls.

"It is not the easiest way to die. An arrow through the neck is the easiest way to die."

"No, I know. How about a knife through the stomach. You and your baby would feel that huh, sweetie?" Thalia asks sarcastically. Katniss rests a hand on her stomach, and Finnick sends Thalia a disapproving glare.

"Yes _dad_." Thalia pouts. She stands. "I'm going to enjoy being in the water and I'm going to get some food. Before Volts fries it all." With that, the blonde is gone. Where did that sudden burst of rage come from? Thalia believes it's the Games taking a toll on her mind. She will not let them win, though. Beetee requests a hike up to see the tree before they go through the plan, so Peeta and Finnick take turns carrying Beetee to the tree. When the lightning strikes, Everyone is dazzled. It's beautiful, really. Thalia doesn't want to move from that spot. Johanna and Katniss literally drag her away back down. Beetee gives them the afternoon off as soon as they arrive back at the beach, and they all take turns sleeping. But soon everyone is restless, so they go fishing and have a little feast.

"Ha, ha. Look. You know, if you put enough pressure on a coal, it'll turn into a pearl." Peeta says after finding a pearl in a clam. Finnick frowns at him.

"No. It doesn't work that way," then under his breath. "The breads gone to his head."

"I know what he's talking about. I remember listening to Effie tell it to my... ahem... escort for that night. It was actually quite amusing." Thalia says, then goes back to her own oyster. Soon everyone is full to the brim, and they return to Beetee. From there, he goes over the plan again. And once Katniss and Peeta go for watch, he explains the rest of the plan to the other. Thalia looks at Peeta sorrowfully. _I hope this works._

* * *

Beetee wakes the group early. They trek off to the tree, and begin to throw the plan into action. Finnick and Thalia take turns wrapping the coil around the large trunk of the tree. When it's been tightly wrapped, they hand the coil off to Johanna.

"Katniss, we'll need you to go with Johanna." Finnick says finally. Katniss immediately is drawn to Peeta's side, who grabs her hand.

"Katniss and I will go." Peeta says defensively. Thalia feels a sharp pain in her chest at his willingness to protect Katniss, but not her. Then she mentally slaps herself. _That would never, ever, work. He loves her only. _

"No, we need you to stay here and help me." Beetee says in a demanding tone. Katniss turns and kisses Peeta, then whispers something to him. Whatever this something is, it makes Peeta let her go. Johanna and Katniss dart away quickly, so Katniss hurry back to her love. Thalia and the boys turn to Beetee.

"Now." Beetee whispers. Finnick pins Peeta down and clamps a hand over his mouth. Thalia takes her knife and cuts his tracker out. Finnick pushes him down.

"Just stay down!" He hisses, and then the pair bolt. They run with his tracker towards where Johanna and Brutus and Draygen. They're trying to confuse the people in the Game making lab. They're also trying to finally get rid of Brutus and Draygen. That way, they could have the arena to themselves for the plan.

"Johanna! Jo!" Thalia shouts. Johanna waves her hand, the little silver and red tracker blinking. They run to her, but something- or someone- pounces Thalia. Draygen shoves his knife into her stomach and Thalia screams. He drives it in deep, and leaves it in. Thalia is yelling in agony, and has curled her body around the knife.

"Shit!" She groans. Thalia watches as an axe buries itself in Draygen's head. A cannon booms. Thalia writhes in Finnick's arms as they begin to run. Another cannon booms, and Thalia prays it's not Katniss or Peeta.

"Wait... Beetee!" Finnick yells. The man was supposed to be following them. So where is he?

"Look, I'll lead Brutus my way, okay? You guys go after Volts!" Johanna then disappears. The two then head back to where Beetee is supposed to be. Instead they find Katniss. Well, that answers one of their many questions. But where is Beetee?

"Katniss!" Finnick starts a little and Thalia opens her green eyes. The girl has her arrow pointed directly at her head. If shot, it would shoot her and then plunge itself into Finnick's heart.

Katniss pulls the drawstring back.

"REMEMBER WHO THE REAL ENEMY IS, KATNISS!" Finnick yells very loudly. Thalia's eyes widen and she glares at Katniss. The girl has begun to tie the wire to the arrow.

"Stop, no!" Thalia warns. Just as the lighting strikes, Katniss lets the arrow soar. The rest happens in slow motion. The trio is flung backwards. The arena starts to crumble. Falling wire lands around them. The arena has been destroyed. Another cannon fires. Two large claws dip down. One has Beetee in it, another has Peeta and Johanna on it. Thalia rolls herself out of the way of the one with Beetee in it, and pushes Finnick towards them. The rebel hovercraft lifts Katniss and Finnick. The Capitol hovercraft grabs Thalia hungrily and then the two crafts soar away.

"I won." Thalia mutters. The last thing she experiences. before unconsciousness takes her, is the feeling of a papery hand on her skin and the smell of blood on someone's breath.

"No dear. You've lost. In so many ways."

**11/26/13**


	2. Chapter 1

**Hey, so, obviously, you liked my last chapter if you're back from more. I hope you reviewed then, because... well... reviews are nice. Onto the chapter then. **

When I wake, the first thing I register is the pounding in my head. It's as if someone had repeatedly smashed my head against the rock. Instead of complaining about this, though, I use it to my advantage. I'm not dead if I'm feeling the pain then.

The next thing I register is the state of my clothing. I am still in my arena outfit, but it is charred and ripped a little. And my shoes ad a floating device are gone. Lastly, I recognize the chains on my arms and the stench of the room. I finally decide to move my eyes from the stone floor in front of me.

"You're awake." A deep, ragged voice says. From the sounds of it, this person is currently choking back spurts of blood. I cast my head to the side and catch a glance of Peeta. I almost squeal in delight, but then I catch his features. His blonde hair is matted with blood, his deep blue eyes long lost of the light and warmth they once possessed. His skin is broken and burnt in patches, and blood lines his lips and other body parts. His arena outfit is ripped to near shreds, leaving him in nothing but the pants part. His feet are scratched, and black. And after further inspection, I find that we are chained together in sort of mockery. I raise my hand, painstakingly, in a wave.

"Indeed. Where... where are we?" I ask, my voice raspy and dry from lack of use. "A better question is, what time is it? How long have I been out?"

"We're in Capitol clutches. Don't you remember, saving Finnick? I saw it. Estimating the time... I'd say it's been about three days. You've been out the whole time," he pauses to cough. Blood sprays the floor. "They've came... they've done things. Horrible, horrible, things to you. They made me watch. Johanna too. Oh god..." He trails off, muttering something.

"Oh Peeta, I couldn't feel it. It didn't happen if I couldn't feel it." I reassure him and myself. We sit in silence, but it's not uncomfortable. I examine the room before me. There are two cells to the left and right of us, two more to the left and right of them, and so on and so on. The doors are glass, but the bars that allow us in and out are not glass. To the right of us, Cinna, Portia, and Effie. To our left, Johanna and Annie. They're torturing us.

Johanna and Annie love Finnick. They put them in the same room.

Effie, Portia, and Cinna have been friends for a long time. They're in the same cell.

I love Peeta. And look where we're at.

"You're piecing it together aren't you?" A voice, not Peeta's asks. I look to the right, and Cinna's bloody and marred expression greets me. I almost jump. He licks his bloodstained lips and blinks his green eyes.

"Yes. Maybe. I don't know anymore." Just as the words escape my lips, Peacekeepers enter the cell in which we are. They unlock my chains, and one throws me over his shoulder. I look to Peeta. His eyes say it all. What's about to happen. I refuse to kick and scream, I refuse to give them that satisfaction. We turn down many hallways, and corridors. Soon, we come to a room labeled Fun-zone. How ironic. The real name has been blacked out, and a raggedy piece of tape with those words has been taped on. In the room is a flithy cot, and there is also a chair with bolts on it.

"Sit her down there." A fine-dressed man says. He looks almost handsome, but twice my age. He wears a brown fedora, with brown slacks and a white dress shirt. On his shirt hangs a tie which has been undone. A few graying curls peek from under his hat, and his hazel eyes gleam with amusement. This man removes a cigar from his mouth as they bolt me down to the chair. The Peacekeepers wait for dismissal before exiting the grimy room.

"Ithalia Cranger," The man starts. He removes a manilla folder and flicks through papers. "Female Victor of the 73rd Hunger Games. Age 17. Choice Weapon: Crossbow. Warning, may go into Anxiety Attacks when put under pressure. Prostituted for one month until her brother took over her duties. Raised by Nikolas Merlind, her eldest brother. Parents died in a deathly fire when she was twelve. Rumored to be in the rebellion. May have important information. Do you know who I am, Ithalia?"

"No. But you sure do know about me. And a lot of me." I say bravely. How did he know about all those things? Those are things that only four people know. Johanna, Niko, Finnick and herself. Not even Ferna knew yet. And none of those people ever told a soul.

"I am your worst nightmare sweetie. I'm sure you'll remember me if you tried. Hm, how about this. Ladies and Gentlemen, your tributes for the 73rd Hunger Games, Ithalia Cranger and Feryn Cranger." He says in an over-dramatic high-pitched voice. Oh my god.

"Ceren?" He was our escort and our supposed friend during the 73rd, 74th, and even the 75th. We has trusted him, but not with anything important.

"Hi honey. I bet you thought I was into men. Hm. How you thought wrong pretty girl." He brandishes a knife, and at first I think he's going to cut me. But he just slices through the top of my outfit. That's when I notice them. The bruises around my breast, where someone had been biting. The bruises that also line my neck. The hand marks on my waist. What did these sickos do to me? Ceren smiles at my now exposed cleavage.

"You always were a pretty girl. It's a shame. But you could preserve your body. You could preserve your dignity, yourself. If you give me the information I need." He whispers. The tip of his blade traces delicate patterns on my skin, not enough pressure to mark me, though.

"I refuse." I say simply. The blade drives a little deeper, breaking the skin. Ceren makes tiny swirls with the knife. Blood dribbles down in between my breasts, stopping and catching where the rip starts.

"That's a bad mistake. Just tell me, honey. Tell me everything, and I'll make the pain go away." he whispers in my ear. I spit onto his shirt, and his hisses. The knife digs deep now, cutting through me almost. Ceren is smart though. He would never actually kill me. That would be too easy. He retrieves the knife from inside me, and slices though my bra. I hiss.

"Oh, you're so pretty. I can almost imagine the feel inside you." He is practically moaning already. I feel nothing but repulsion at this man. Next to go is my pants. He shreds through them with ease, and the flimsy articles of clothing fall to the ground. Ceren grins, and next are my underwear. I feel cold, but it's not from the sudden air I'm feeling on my legs. Ceren unlocks me and- with strength I didn't know he could possess- forces me to the disgusting cot in the corner. He pushes me down, pinning my arms a top my head. His lips crash into mine, and he uses his other hand to... 'pleasure' me. I groan, not in pleasure, but in disgust.

"You like that, don't you baby? I should have done this earlier."

"Fuck you!" I spit. Ceren grins.

"I intend to." He says. He pulls his thick finger out of me and undoes his belt. Then he spreads my legs.

"Pussy, you can't even get me to a climax! And what the fuck is that? I can't see it." I squint, pretending to look for his erection. This angers him enough, and he bites greedily into my shoulder.

"I can't contain myself anymore." He whispers, more to himself to me. Ceren shoves himself inside me, and I scream. From pain, mostly. Something feels wrong about this, but what? I manage wriggle a hand from his grasp, but he doesn't notice. All Ceren is noticing is, "You feel so good" and "Why haven't I done this to you before?". I tentively touch myself, and then quickly pull my hand away. Thick, sticky blood coats my fingers, and I cringe. I've never, in my entire month of prostitution, or in the times Feryn and I slept together, bled. They alwayys said something was wrong, something bad could happen if you bled. I feel like slapping Ceren, kicking him, wriggling off the filthy cot. Instead I lay motionless. Ceren pumps, harder, faster, deeper. With each thrust, his grunts grow louder. And with each thrust, I get closer and closer to a place I don't want to be.

Especially not under him.

"Ithalia, baby!" he yells. His sticky warm contents spill into me, and I restrain my self from a moan. I can't control my body's natural reaction, and I reluctantly reach my climax. He grips my waist as I ride it out, and stars burst behind my eyes. I feel... amazing. Not as good as I felt with Feryn, but better than I have since my third client. Who, by the way, was one damn good fuck. But Ceren...

_No, _I think bitterly,_ It's not supposed to be like this. I'm not supposed to climax to this filthy thing._

"Oh honey," Ceren breathes into my neck. "You... you're... you're more experienced than Effie Trinket. And she's 32." I shudder for both me and poor Effie. What has he done to my friend? I've befriended a lot of escorts, but Effie has to be the best one. She was so sweet, and more innocent than me. What sick person could do that to her? All previous feelings about the man on top of me have vanished.

"I... I... I... I hate you." I say shakily, the reminiscence of my orgasm still rocking through me. Ceren pushes a sweaty blonde strand from my face. He looks at me disgustingly. Not the way Peeta looked at me. Not the way Feryn, my husband, looked at me. Not lovingly. Like I'm a piece of cooked meat and he's been starved like the District 12 children. Hungrily. He kisses me again, and I turn my head to pull away. I don't want to feel his slimy lips on mine anymore. I will no longer lay and let this happen.

"You don't hate me." Ceren says, with a laugh. He dismounts himself from me, pulling out in the process. I can feel his semen spill and I have to cough to hide the gag. Why am I still playing this Game? This front I used to put up for the appointments? Why am I not showing my obvious disgust?

Because that's not what I want this to be. I want this to be somewhat consensual. So I play it like an appointment.

Ceren doesn't dress me again. He simply has the Peacekeepers come and take me back. The ride back is full of hungry stares and some more uncomfortable touches. One Peacekeeper goes as far as to let the others go. The rest of the walk back is filled with his finger... in places I _don't_ want his finger to be. As soon as I'm locked into my chains again, Peeta envelopes me in his arms. The smell of blood, dirt, and charred flesh is not the most comforting, but if it's Peeta, it's the smell I want.

"P-p-p-p-p-" I've never really been speechless. I've always had something to say, something to comment on. At least some action to express my thoughts and feelings. But right now, I have nothing to say. Except for this:

"It hurts."

"Shh, sh. It's okay. It's okay." I feel a piece of clothing yanked over my head. I look over to find that Cinna has given up his shirt to clothe me. He must of slipped it under the pretty wide crack that rests under the glass cells. Peeta has taken the shirt and let it slide over my head. I attempt to joke at this.

"Is my body that horrendous?" I ask. Cinna smiles slightly.

"Hideous... can you answer a question?" He asks. I turn my full attention him and furrow my brow. A question? Not about my torture, I hope. But, without Cinna there would be no Girl On Fire, so I guess I owe him this one. For the rebellion. Not for Peeta.

"Yes?"

"Ramona, my sister, your stylist, yeah. Do you remember what her final words were?" He asks. I puzzle about how this has any connection to our situation at hand, but something about Portia's expression says to drop it. So I do.

"'Unfortunately, none of us do.' I don't know what it means. But it was something along those lines." I reply. Cinna nods and smiles a little. he mutters something alone the lines of 'I missed my chance' then returns to his slumber against the wall. Portia silently thanks me.

Suddenly there is a wave of drowsiness and I feel like sleeping. Peeta leans down to give me a kiss, but I shrink away. In fact, I slip from his arms. One of the reasons being that I'm still mad about the whole Katniss situation. Another reason being that I just went through something with lips that I don't want to ever experience again. But he leaves me be, and I curl up on the cold concrete floor.

This is going to be a long few weeks.

**I hated this chapter. Not because I don't think it's good, it's actually great if you ask me, but because the... thing that the guy did to Ithalia. I mean, I've grown attached to the girl and to write something like that... ~sigh~ It's all a part of the plot line.**

**Okay guys, poll times. Does she fall in love with and marry Gale, or does she fall in love with (and I'd have to keep him alive for this) and marry Cinna?**

**Also, someone asked about the dates at the end of the chapters. That's just to tell you when I've written them so that you can get off my case about not posting. For example, if I write a chapter one 10.4.13, but I don't post until 11.1.13. That way you guys know I wrote it, I just forgot to post.**

**It's to help with my amnesia, for those who still don't get it.**

**Alright, peace.**

**11/27/13**


	3. Chapter 2

**I'm back. Thank you, litteangel for following. The rest of you guys... c'mon. Please? I'll beg. Any who, onward and on forth. One review on your story for whoever gets the RENT references in the Prologue and in this one. **

When they come to drag me away the next time, they do something that makes me want to spill secrets. Our green eyes meet, and he runs a hand through his dark curly locks. I try and convince myself that he's not real, that they didn't capture his key features. Like how his mouth was always twisted in a smirk, or how his eyes always shone and laughed. Or maybe the trademark scar that peeked just below his t-shirt, from when he went in to save Ferna from the fire.

"Niko." I whisper his name. It's like chocolate on my lips, sweet and soothing. It's a name that I've been raised to feel protected around, to feel loved around.

"Hey there, Lil' Tike." It has always been his nickname for me. Lil' Tike. Even we were little, he was only two years older than me. But I had always been his Lil' Tike. _He's not real,_ I try to implant in my rampant imagination_, He's a man with make-up. This is not my Niko. _

"Are they forcing you into this?" I ask gently. Of course, my mind never listens to my heart. Of course he's real, he's too real. If it was make-up, then they have damn good make-up artists.

"No. Yes. Maybe. I don't know anymore, Lil' Tike. I'm doing this for Ferry, and you should too. Tell me," he kneels down to my level in the room. As we talk, men enter and dump buckets of water on the floor. I vaguely wonder why. "What the rebels are up to. They'll let you free, Lil' Tike."

"No. I'm... Niko, I love you. I do. But if you're on their side, I can't tell you anything." I want to believe he is just a rebel spy, being forced into this. Or that he really is just a man in a costume. But he is too real, to be a man in a costume.

His hand making contact with my face is what snaps me out of my reverie. Tears spring into my eyes, and I am almost instantly broken down. But I bite my tongue and look at my brother with hate I didn't know I could possess.

"You're so stupid! You always have been an idiot! You retard! I've done things for you that no man would ever do, and you refuse to tell me one thing! You idiot!" He rages. That's what convinces me, if only mildly. My brother was always the calm one. Whenever I got in trouble, or whenever I sassed him or did something he didn't like, he would just calmly send me out. He would never get angry in front of me.

"It's all your fault you know! That mom and dad died? It's your fault. Had you not gone out that night, not left mom, who was sick, alone. And not left dad to cook. They would be alive, but, lil' tike," he pauses. He stops his rage to kneel down to me again. "You can pay for that." He whispers.

"Niko!" I scream. My brother pays no attention to my screaming though, and simply steps out of the room. I look over at the glass window that rests in the room. Niko speaks to another peacekeeper, who types in something on a keypad. Then he turns to my brother and nods. Niko pulls a lever, and at first nothing happens. Then there is buzzing sound, like something starting up. And then the pain.

It's white hot, and searing. White spots dance behind my eyelids. The voltage that they're delivering the electricity is enough to kill a small child, but not an adult woman. But it's enough to cause said woman pain that one couldn't imagine. Every time I touch my teeth together, another pain sears through my jaw. So I let out a barbaric guttural cry. I try and stand, but I am knocked back down by the touch of the water. I had been previously sitting on a cot, but now that I touch the water, the pain triples.

"Niii-kooo!" I scream at the top of my lungs. Suddenly the electricity stops, and I am left a twitchy mess on the floor. The smell of burning hair causes me to reach up and touch my hair. The ends have been seared off and charred, and when I look at my skin, pink and black pieces hang off. I feel like throwing up.

The door opens. I look up and meet another mans eyes. Not Niko's, but our Presidents.

"H-h-h-h-hello M-m-m-m-m-Mr. P-p-p-p-p-president." I stutter, the electric shock still coursing through my veins. The president smiles darkly at me, and even touches my face. He rips off a piece of hanging flesh and I yelp.

"You used to be so pretty, dear." He whispers, caressing my face. I shrink away at his touch, remaining defiant. He chuckles and now Niko steps in, grinning from ear to ear. I have never felt a greater hate for my brother. Niko lifts me up, supporting my twitching frame with his arm.

"Look at 'er boss. Maybe now, she'll answer us." he says. The President nods.

"Indeed she may. Do you want to tell us now? Your electrocution went well."

"Go to hell." I snap. The back of our glorious President's hand meets my cheek. I push off of Niko and lean against the wall, panting.

"You won't win. You and your precious Capitol will fall... and I'll do everything in my might to make sure it happens." I whisper. The President rolls his blue eyes, and steps closer to me. The smell of blood and perfumed roses fills my nostrils and I cough. What an awful stench.

"That's what you think. Get her out of my sight, I'm done talking to her." He calls. Peacekeepers rush the room, and grab my arms. When I look back, the President wraps his arms around Niko and laughs.

* * *

I barely sleep. But honestly, does anyone sleep in this prison. They take Peeta three times during the day, and each time he comes back looking paler and more and more far gone. But each and every time we hold each other, and try and comfort each other. Until they take him again. They only use me once a day, every day, but each time it's a new horror. Sometimes, it's images of Ferna being tortured. I know they aren't real, from the way their movements are mechanical. But her screams are real, forget what Beetee and Johanna and Finnick say. They're too real.

Other times it's every day things. Beating, Whips, Electrocutions, Drowning, that other thing that I vow never to say the name of again. And sometimes they just force me to watch the other prisoners. Everyone has someone to scream for, though. Except for me and Johanna. It would be to dangerous to scream for Peeta, just as it would be too dangerous for Jo to scream for Finnick.

But Effie calls for Haymitch.

Portia calls for Cinna, Cinna calls for Portia.

Annie calls for Finnick.

Peeta screams for Katniss.

I just scream, most of the time. Johanna and I, we talk under the glass. I manage to talk to everyone. Especially Annie. They never physically touch, they just play mind Games. They pull the Niko trick with her, except using Finnick. They have him (who is not the real him, I assure her. The real Finnick is in 13) scream at her, call her names, insist that he doesn't and never will love her. It drives Annie to breaking point that if, without me and Peeta, she would have dove off of a long time.

In the end, we all play the waiting Game. It's not until one day, that they bring in a television. Earlier that day, they had taken Portia out.

"This is to all the rebels," sacks rest on five people's head. A peacekeeper stands behind each person. "And to Capitol residents. For them to know that any caught or found rebel spy will be executed. Reveal them." The president orders. The sacks are ripped off.

Ramona. _So they didn't kill her. At least, not yet. **(A/N: FOR THOSE CONFUSED, RAMONA WAS KNOCKED OUT, BUT THALIA THOUGHT SHE WAS DEAD)**_

Portia.

Bailleav.

Cordell.

Nano.

The last three were on Peeta's prep team. Inside, I want to believe Nano deserved it. He bought me countless times. But now knowing that they were rebels... I can't bring myself to it.

"Alright. Firing Squad, about face!" A general shouts. I watch with wide-eyes. Then I turn away. Five simultaneous gun shots fire. I turn away just in time to see the pavement splattered with blood. I turn my head. Peeta is silently crying. Cinna is taking this much worse. He throws himself against the screen, knocking it off the cart and smashing it. Effie wails loudly, screaming for Portia. Cinna screams for both of them.

"Cinna! Cinna!" I shout, pressing my hands against the glass. He turns, and I grimace. Tears leave clean streaks on his otherwise grimy face. He is hidiously beautiful, in this moment. He crawls to me, and presses his hands against the glass.

I can't begin to explain the history I had with this man. I met him on my first day in the Capitol. He had been a reporter. He asked to interview me, really quickly before I went and met Ramona. He had been sweet, and charming. I had been drawn to him. But at the time, both of us were married. And although it was frowned upon, he would get passes and sneak up to see me during my nights in the Capitol. When I won, he was overjoyed. I soon became friend with Portia, and I stopped betraying her. Except for those nights that he bought me. It was the only way I would see him, and we enjoyed our time spent together. Our affair started up again. By then. Feryn had died in the Games and although mourning, I was no longer married. Point is, since we've met, we've been sneaking around. But I fell in love with Peeta and he was married to Portia. We knew that we didn't love each other, just enjoyed the others company. Eventually, our affairs ended.

"Cinna, she's okay. She's happier now." I say. He sniffles and looks at me.

"I never apologized for hurting her. I never did." He whispers. I wish I could hold him, tell him that I'm here.

Instead I just stare at him. That's all I can do until the Rebels save us. _If_ they save us.

**Again, one review on your story if you caught the RENT reference. Also, I chose Cinna. And if you're confused:**

**She was married to a man named Feryn. He went into the Games with her and died.**

**Cinna was her affair before she met Peeta. They ARE NOT IN LOVE YET. I REPEAT, NOT YET. **

**When she befriended Portia, she tried to stop their affairs, but he kept buying her so they never ended. **

**When she met Peeta, she tried to stop again. Cinna agreed to stop for the sake of Portia. And she hoped to maybe win Peeta's heart.**

**ALRIGHTY THEN. THE SHOW GOES ON. First off, what are you expecting next chapter? Which torture do you want to see, and with who? Until my fellow Hunger Games friends.**


	4. Chapter 3

**Hey, hey, hey. What's up, mah peeps? Any who... no reviews? C'mon. I thought we were cool. Thanks again to:**

**littleangel**

**for following, but reviews are neccassary to keep me alive. I'll stop bugging you about it though. And uhm, I think this is the last torture Chapter, so onward and on forth.**

**DISCLAIMER: I WISH I was Suzanne Collins. But I'm not. So she can't sue.**

I must have fallen asleep against the glass. I reach up gently to massage the crick from my neck, in the process bringing Peeta's hand up with me. I sit up and blink against the darkness. Through the tiny window they provide, I can see it's dark. But it seems as if it will be dawn soon. My skin is healing, from the electrocution. The patches that were once crisp and black are now pink and kind of soft. I pick at a blister on my foot, reopening the wound.

Time passes as I pace the room and wonder aimlessly around. Finally, I hear shuffling. Peeta is stirring. Just as he does, a tray of stale bread and slightly moldly cheese is passed towards us. And a single cup of water. I take the food and break it evenly, then wait for him to completely wake.

"Breakfast." I say, handing him his share. Food is a rarity, we only get it about once a week, and we only get enough to keep us alive. Hunger isn't our main pain though. Water, on the other hand, is constantly supplied. I learned once, during our classes, that you can only survive for three days without water. We get one cup a day, more, maybe, if we're lucky.

"Mhm, moldy cheese."

"A delicacy in the Capitol." I hear Johanna cough. I laugh and raise the food.

"Bon appetite, eat up." We eat slowly, but hungrily. The cheese- save the mold -is quickly gone, and we take turns sipping water. After our breakfast is done, we fall back into the waiting Game. It's not long before Peeta and Annie are taken. Following them, is Johanna. After Jo, it's Cinna and Effie. I am left alone.

Not for long.

Peacekeepers enter, grins decorating their slimy faces. They slip spiked knuckles onto their own, and smile. Oh, great. Another beating.

"You can give us our information," Niko says giddily. Usually our President accompanies him. But today it is my first torturer, Ceren. The two seem excited about something. "Or we can beat and rape it out of you."

"Fuck you!" I spit, my saliva landing mere centimeters from his well polished black shoes. I am blinded by the pain of his knuckle meeting my jaw. Certainly that loosened a few of my teeth. I taste the metallic blood on my tongue and use it to my advantage. Another lump of saliva is hurled at Niko. This one is filled with phleghm, blood, spit, and a few teeth. It lands on his cheek and he wipes it off. Another fist collides with me, this time hitting my stomach. Other Peacekeepers join in on the abuse, punching, kicking, and slapping me silly.

New wounds are opened. Old wounds are re-opened. I don't scream, just let out small whimpers if pain. Ceren calls the men to a stop.

"I want my fun with her." He says. Niko steps back, grins at the bloody lump that is me, and then directs the others out. In an instant, Cinna's shirt is ripped from my body, leaving me exposed.

"You're still so beautiful, so why don't you just answer us." He asks, caressing my cheek. I turn away, no longer hiding my evident disgust. He removes his member from his pants, and shoves himself inside me. It seems as this time is worst the others. I close my eyes and try to keep from crying. He thrusts harder and deeper, even going fast. He reaches his climax, spilling his seed inside of me.

A bullet slams through his head. Said bullet is so sudden, that I start to believe it was aimed at me. But when I look up, it's Cinna. Behind him, Haymitch.

"You're safe." He whispers, gathering me in his arms. "You're safe."

"Get her out of her, Cinna. I'm going to go find Johanna and Annie. Gale, go with Cinna. Get these three onto the hovercraft." He is referring to Peeta, Cinna, and I. Cinna carries me, with a slight limp. He's been shot in the leg, I can tell by the blood flow. Suddenly, I am dropped. A few more bullet sounds, but Cinna ducks over me to cover me.

"I got you." He whispers, his broken green eyes staring at me. It's cliche, I know. But it's like he's staring into my soul. I tip my head up, but soon we are running- well, he's running and I'm riding in his arms- towards the hovercraft. When we drop to the hovercraft, we're immediately whisked away from each other.

"Sweetie, we're going to fix you right up." A voice says. Said voice is melodic and sweet. I look up into a pair of blue eyes and wavy blonde hair.

"I'm Lilac Everdeen, honey." She says.

"Katniss... Katniss... alive?" I seem to have lost the ability to speak correctly, but Ms. Everdeen doesn't mind.

"Katniss is alive. Everyone is okay." She whispers, going to work on setting up the morphling drip.

"Ferna! Niko!" Where is my real brother? Where is my sister? Are the alive? Are they okay? Where are we going? Why do I suddenly feel fuzzy and warm? I realize why the Morphlings love this stuff. It puts me into a state of half consciousness. My senses are alert and awake, but I cannot move. So I listen.

"She believes that Niko wasn't real." I hear Cinna whisper.

"So?" This is Haymitch's voice now. They must be talking outside my door.

"So, we took a blood test. That Niko man, that we have in Captivity? He was a direct blood match, Haymitch. That just might have been her brother." Mrs. Everdeen's voice. It's muffled, like she's reading from some file. I can almost envision the drunk rolling those stone gray eyes.

"They could have always used her blood and made a replica, Lily. It's not hard." He says, still disbelieving. He had shown Niko the ropes of prostitution, he loved him as much as I did. Maybe more.

"I have to tell her." Ms. Everdeen says. I hear some ruffling, and Finnick's low growl.

"No. Not yet. Let's just wait until she asks." They all seem to agree on this, and Finnick enters my room. By the bruises on his lips, I can tell he's already been to see Annie. He takes my hand, and kisses it.

"C'mon, baby doll. Your eyes are open, but they say you'll be comatose for a long while. Wake up for us, please? Please. I know you can hear, feel, taste, see, and smell, why can't you do anything else? Wake up." He says. I should try and move, try and wiggle. But I don't. Let him suffer. Let him suffer like I did.

Serves him right for capturing my brother.

**STUPID THALIA! FIN NEEDS YOU GURL! UGH, YOU'RE SUCH A TEEN.**

**SORRY ABOUT THAT.**

**Finnick: WHY ARE YOU SCREAMING?**

**Me: I DON'T KNOW.**

**Angel: WHERE AM I?**

**Me: IN THE HUNGER GAMES SECTION.**

**Angel: OH. I NEED TO GET BACK TO _RENT_.**

**Me: YEAH.**

**Angel: BYE SEXY! ~winks at Finnick~**

**Finnick: ~shudders~**

**Me: BYE FINNICK!**

**Finnick: BYE DAYNA!**

**I hope you enjoyed that my friends. Goodbye, and virtual cupcakes if you can tell me who Angel is dating in RENT. Alright, byez.**


	5. Chapter 4

**HAI GAIS! TWO CHAPPIES IN ONE DAY! WHOO-OO. I'M SO AWESHOME.**

**Thanks to:**

**littleangel (following)**

**AnklebitesItNeverEnds (favoriting)**

**UncreditedWriter (favoriting, hehe, now you're credited)**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own, I rent. Hehehe.**

When I wake again, I wake to the feeling of cold hands in mine. I'm very pleased to find that I have regained my ability to move. I sit up in bed and look around. Typical. It's a white hospital room, the IV drip next to me giving me a wealthy amount of fluids. No wonder I have the urge to pee.**  
**

"Hey. You're up." A soft melodic voice says. I smile and cock my head to the side. He's looking better, certainly. After spending weeks in a prison, it's certainly an improvement. He looks healthier, his glow returning. He's scars have mostly healed, so I guess I've been out for a long time. His arm has one long jagged scar up the side, but that's besides the point. He's even back to wearing his gold eyeliner. I smile again.

"Yeah. I'm up. How are you Cinna?" I ask, my voice raspy from lack of use. He shrugs slightly and looks at me again. I almost squeal with happiness. He even has that light in his eyes again, a small yet evident light. _This is my Cinna_. Whoa where'd that come from? _My Cinna?_ Me and Cinna only had flings. They were never anything serious. It is then, that I notice our company. Ferna rushes me, squeezing me with her tiny arms.

"THALIA! YOU'RE OKAY!" She's yelling now, and I smile. How I love the brunette's pep. It immediately brings me back to earth. Cinna taps Ferna's arm.

"Can you leave us a bit, honey? I promise you can come back and talk all about her stay in the Capitol." He says. Ferna nods and exits, and I turn to him.

"I've been good," he says, answering my previous questions. "I'm... I'm joining the Resistance." My jaw hangs open in shock. That would have taken weeks to organize. How long have I been out exactly? I must voice this, because Cinna answers.

"A few weeks. Almost a month. We thought you were never going to wake. But look at you now." He says.

"Yes, look at me now. How long are they going to keep me?" I ask. He shrugs.

"A few days. But, I've got you signed up to share a room with me, as soon as you get out of here. I just wanted to be here when you woke up." Cinna blushes a little, running a calloused hand through his unkempt brown hair. He looks almost... desirable.

"I have... news." He says. I cock my head to the side again and sit back up. I had returned to laying down, but now I am alert.

"What's that?" I question. Cinna groans and sits down. He grabs my hands, and I can feel just how rough and cold they are.

"You... you're torture... they... they... they..."

"I know. What's the point?" I ask, no longer excited about this news.

"If you don't have sexual intercourse soon, then you might breed that mans child." He whispers. It takes an instant for the news to settle in, but once it does, I realize what has to happen. I look at him with tear filled eyes.

"How long? How long until I'm... fertilized." I ask raspily. He looks at his hands.

"You have two weeks. Then, by then, you'll probably be... at that point. I have to go but I just want you to know," he pauses to clear his throat. "I would do it for you." I feel shaken, at the thought. Not that I don't want to do Cinna, I certainly have no problems with that. It's just... after my imprisonment and all. It's a little much. I'm not ready for that just yet. Not again.

"Thank you." I mutter, and turn away. Cinna takes this as his cue to leave, and does just that. Ferna doesn't come back in either.

* * *

I stay on the IV drip for a few days, and they also send me to physical and mental therapy. A week after I wake up, they send me out into District 13. It's certainly something to look at. They don't send me to a real job for awhile, just classes. And then one morning when I go to recieve my schedule, my Medical Class has been changed to Nuclear and Innovated Weapons. I eat breakfast with my usual group. Peeta, Annie, Finnick, Johanna and Cinna. Ferna sits with the woman that teaches the other little ones her age. She even has made a few friends. It's not her I'm worried about, though.

When I first went to see Peeta, I learned that he had been hijacked to hate Katniss. That had made me giddy until I saw just how broken she was at the fact she couldn't be with him. I noticed the bruises around her neck from when he choked her, and I realize I could have prevented this. I could have prevented this from working like I did it from working on Annie.

But the over-confident bitch deserved to be knocked off her pedestal for a little while.

"We're getting married, guys." Finnick announces. I cheer and smack him on the back playfully. Johanna smiles a little and hugs them both.

"That's great guys. I'll design the outfits." Cinna says. Peeta nods.

"And I'll do the cake. It'll be amazing." He agrees. I frown.

"I'll marry you. My dad was a pastor, it's possible." I say. Annie hugs me, and kisses my cheek.

"Thank you, Thalia. Thank you all, really." She grins. We launch into 'your welcomes' and 'Green icing or blue icing' and before we know it, breakfast is over. Cinna walks me to the room where we'll be working, due to the fact that it's on his way out to Training.

"Did you think about what I said?" He asks. I gnaw my lip.

"I have no other option, Cinna. Tonight. We have to do it tonight." I say. Cinna agrees wholely.

"Tonight it is." When I look away, he tips my chin up. "I won't hurt you. I promise."

"I know. You never did." I say. Then I enter into the room. Words can't begin to describe it, and I instantly nickname it the butterfly room. In the far corner, it's almost a complete replica of the meadow in District 12, and butterflies and hummingbirds flit carelessly around. Everything seems so real, so serene. Even the grass below me is real, I can smell it. That part is closed off, except for tiny little holes that give off a beautiful fragrance. The rest is filled with weapons of each and every sort. I see a few crossbows and I'm immediately drawn to them. One even uses real bullets.

"I see you've discovered our room. Come now, I meet with Gale soon so I don't have long." Beetee lays out the blueprints and begins to explain.

"These bombs haven't been thought out yet, so if you have any ideas on how to fix them, please do." He says tiredly. It's obvious he hasn't been sleeping recently, and he looks like he's ready to K.O.

"Well," I pick up the charcoal pencil and begin to fix the bombs. "How about there are two? You see, the first one drops and injures whoever is trapped in the circle. Of course Capitol Medics and a few Rebel Medics will rush in. Then this one drops in the forms of parachutes, and when they open them, it releases a poisonous gas. It also explodes, causes every single person in the circle to become chunks of burning flesh. Y'see?" I ask, looking up at him with my hopeful green eyes. Beetee nods and after fixing my wiring system, agrees.

"Yes. That's good. Good job. You start making these, I will go and meet with Gale about the exterior design." he says. I salute and set to work, fixing the bombs so that they don't really explode when the production team goes to make them. We will make to models, and then send down blueprints. From there the Pro Team, as they prefer, will make hundreds of thousands of the real deal and then put them on a hovercraft to take to their hiding place in 1. From there, when we strike, 1 will deliver out the plan.

I stay up late, until Cinna comes to get me.

"Hey, it's almost lights out." he whispers into the dark. I put down my tweezers and stretch the pins and needles out of my legs. Then I follow him back to our room. It's a mess, with clothing strewn everywhere. Actually not my doing. Cinna's. He's not very organized.

"I did some research. So, if we do this, and it's mine, then we'll be forced into marriage. But if it's not mine, then you will be allowed to raise it alone or give it up for adoption."

"Abortion isn't an option?" I ask blandly.

"Well, they're still trying to repopulate. Anyways, if you don't get pregnant then we have nothing to worry about." He shrugs. This seems to soothe me. A possibilty that we're doing all this for nothing is actually very hopeful right now. Cinna waits patiently for me to unlock the door and drop my things before pulling me into a kiss.

"I know you're scared," his breath smells like mint. It's very nice. "I am too. Let's just get this done with, okay? Pretend this is what we want."

"It really is." I say, and rip off his shirt. He laughs at how eager I am to get this over with, and pulls us onto his cot. I kiss him again and look him in the eyes.

"If we have to do it, let's enjoy." And then I go down on him.

**I leave you there for 2 reasons. One reason being that I am sleepy. Another reason being I wanted the scene to last a little while. It's the start of a relationship after all. KAY BAI.**


	6. Chapter 5

**Just a heads up, it starts out with some smut. Also, this is the chapter where they realize they're in love, ad they start dating. This is a story about their relationship, not building up to their relationship. Sorry if it seems rushed, but it's all in the plot line my friends. Also sorry if the characters are OOC. Thanks to:**

_UncreditedWriter** (favoriting)  
**AnklebitersItNeverEnds (******favoriting)**_

******Disclaimer: You already know by now, right? I'll say it again. I DON'T OWN RENT (for the references) or THE HUNGER GAMES. **

Above me, I can hear Cinna grunt as he pulls at the bed sheets. I wrap my lips around his thick member, licking and sucking to the point that it becomes shiny. Cinna is being kind, I can tell. So I guide his hand to my hair, giving him the okay. He pushes down, shoving himself deep inside my throat. Little choking noises are heard, and I realize they are coming from me. Cinna releases me and I come back up to his tip, kissing the point and then licking it. He uses his hips to thrust upwards, and I choke again.

"Oh god, Thalia. You haven't lost it yet." He whispers, pulling back. We repeat this action until he's close to his end. With one last flick of my tongue, he releases himself into my mouth. With the muttering of my name under his breath, his eyes catch mine. In his, I see something of lust. I don't know what he sees in mine, that makes him pull me up to him and give me a small yet passionate kiss.

"I won't hurt you," so it was fear. "I know it's hard, but I won't hurt you. Are you ready?" He asks softly. I nod my head, my usual words betraying me. He flips us so he's on top and peppers me with kisses. My mouth, the corner of my mouth, my head, my neck. Here he stops to leave a love bite. I yelp.

"I'm sorry, I just... I want to forget." I know what he means. He wants to forget our imprisonment days, he wants to forget Portia. But we just can't forget and move on. We would never heal like that.

"I know." I whisper back, and he drops another kiss to my lips. This time I kiss back. He swipes his tongue along my bottom lip and I open my mouth to allow him entrance. Our tongues dance a tango, trying to find dominance. When he pulls away, there is a slight stinging between my legs. He's already managed to slip two fingers inside of me and is now pumping them in and out.

"Oh god Cinna," I gasp. A sudden wave of pleasure hits me as he slides in another finger. I tip my head up again so our lips can meet again. They never do, because he starts to hit that damned spot. The spot that no one but myself has it. And he knows that it's my spot because he keeps hitting it.

"C-C-C-Cinna." I breath, as I feel my self reach an orgasm.

"Yeees?" he drawls, his fingers doing that damned good little dance. Just as I reach my orgasm, just as the stars burst behind eyes, the flashbacks start. And then it's no longer Cinna on top of me, but Ceren. I scream and try and push him off, but Ceren holds strong, pinning me to the bed.

"Thalia, you have to forget, baby, forget. Forget, okay?" It's Cinna's voice. The voice isn't matching the face though. I kick against him and I must hurt something sensitive. Cinna drops to the floor and I back up against the wall. _Cinna_ drops to the floor. Not Ceren.

"I'm sorry." I whisper, pulling my knees up to my chest.

"It's okay. C'mon, we have to do this." He whispers. I lay back down and Cinna climbs on top of me again. But the arousal isn't there anymore, we just go through the motions. He enters slowly, and I let out a little squeak. He pumps, faster. With each pump, we manage to come to a close end. I can tell he isn't enjoying this like we should be. When he climaxes though, it's different. I scream his name, he peppers little bites and bruises along my neck and shoulder. My nails dig into his back as we ride it out together. He rolls off of me, and I feel empty instead of fulfilled. It's nothing like the old times. But we do cuddle up on his bed together like the old times and Cinna wraps his arms around my waist.

"I want to remember and forget, Thalia." He whispers suddenly. It may be a bit sudden, but I understand him in every way possible. I was thinking the same thing. Kind of.

"So do I. But rushing into something, especially after the way we hurt her... it won't help with either of those things." I whisper. Cinna nods. I can almost tell what he's about to say.

"It wouldn't. But we could try, you know? I mean... we were always each other's second choice. You don't have either of your first choices," I hiss a little. "I don't have mine. Maybe we can try." He mutters.

"Trying would be nice. So is that it? Are we a thing now?" I ask. Cinna shrugs and runs a hand through his curly brown locks. He's adorable when he's frustrated, really.

"Yeah. I guess. If that's what you want." He whispers.

"It's what I want. It's what we need." I reply. He snuggles me up to his chest, just so that my ear is over his heart. It may be my rampant imagination, or just my exhaustion, but I swear his heartbeat matches mine exactly.

* * *

I wake before him, so I shower, dress, and head down to breakfast. The hall is almost filled, but our table is still holding two empty spots. I get my breakfast- fried potatoes, turnips, pork and some assorted fruits with nuts in them -and take a seat next to Johanna. Either I'm envisioning things or Peeta looks a little hurt.

"So..." Finnick says awkwardly. Annie keeps looking at me and giggling, and Johanna is emitting pride. Again, Peeta looks a little hurt.

"You got in his pants, huh?" Jo asks. I feel my face get warm and if I had a mirror, I would be redder than a tomato. _How?_

"Uh... who's pants? I was in my room last night. Sleeping."

"So _Oh Cinna, baby. Faster, oh god _is your definition of sleeping?" It's scary how en-point that is. I could swear those were my direct words.

"Shut up." I hiss, stabbing the bacon with my fork. The over-done meat crumbles under the pressure, so I just pick it up and eat it.

"Was it good?" Finnick asks. I nearly choke on the piece of meat.

"I-"

"Was he big? Like... stretch and break your walls big?"

"Yeah. I probably was." Cinna sits next to me with his own tray. I shoot daggers at him and he shrugs. _He just shrugs._ So I take his fruit.

"Hey!" He protests.

"Mine." I snap, before stabbing into the little sweet delicacies. Johanna bursts out laughing and I look at her.

"What?" I ask, frustrated with her.

"You just bit into a nut!" She laughs. I put down the fruit and nuts mix that I had forgotten about. Cinna has a slight smirk tugging at his lips, and he reaches under the table for my hand. I pull away, still mad at him. He grabs and squeezes it anyway.

"How do you guys even know this?" I ask. Now it's Annie's turns to blush.

"Thin walls. At first Fin thought is was me, yelling Cinna's name. He wouldn't even kiss me. Then we realized that I had no sexual attraction to Cinna whatsoever-"

"Hey!"

"-And that you didn't sound like me." Annie finishes. I roll my green eyes and Finnick chortles.

"I told you I was sorry, Annie-babe." He whispers, giving her a little chaste kiss.

"Ooh, ooh, I wanna kiss." Cinna whines. I shake my head.

"No. 'Cause you embarrassed me." I say. Cinna steals one anyway, his excuse being that "The pout on your lips was just too sexy". I roll my eyes for what seems like the thousandth time this morning. We all go our separate ways, Finnick to class, Peeta to therapy, Annie to the daycare, and Johanna, Cinna and I to training (they gave me a day off, and I have nothing better to do with my time). When we arrive, they instruct everyone to strip. It's freezing though, so I really don't see the point this.

Then they make them run in nothing but their underclothes and shoes. Soon they're almost drowning in their sweat, and then said sweat is freezing them so it's that much worse. What if they catch a cold? After they run a few laps, the trainees are allowed to re-dress. Not that I didn't mind ogling Cinna's perfectly carved body or anything, but it was probably for the best. They practice with different assorted weapons- guns, knives, bow and arrows, swords, scythes, the whole nine yards -until they get to the crossbow.

The crossbows they're using are like the ones I saw in the Butterfly Room. I itch to get my hands on one, and a few trainees ask for my help. I had been sitting idly on the steps of elevator that leads to outside, so the excuse to go over is greatly appreciated. I pick up the bow, weigh it in my hands.

"It's good weight. Always make sure, no matter what weapon, that it has a good weight." I say aloud, so the trainees can hear.

"What's weight have to do with anything?" One trainee asks. I turn and ask them all to lift their bows. Some are too light, and they shoot wrong due to their heavier hands. Others are too heavy and they can't lift them. Only a few are just right.

"That's what. If you don't have good weight, you don't have a good shot." I then turn back to the bow and put my left eye in front of the scope.

"You always put they eye you're dominant with, so if you write with your left, you use your left eye." I instruct. Everyone listens. Most people use their right eye, but a few are like me. Such as Johanna, the Gale guy, and Cinna. Aw, how cute. Cinnamon is a lefty.

"Now, it's like a gun. Don't worry about the bow yet. Hold it just like a gun." I say. I show them how to turn the crank so that the string draws back, and then pull the trigger. Nearly everyone gets a bulls-eye. Everyone except for Cinna.

"Uh, Miss Instructor. I need some help." He says. I roll my eyes and wrap my arms around him from behind I guide his hands with the movements. It's kind of adorable how he actually needs help. After he hits the target, he turns and receives a little reward kiss.

"You are too damned cute." I say after pulling away. He wraps his arms around my waist and cocks his head to side.

"Oh am I? I think I can get away from here real quick to show you who's the cute one." He's about to devour my lips again when someone taps me on the shoulder and I turn.

"Ms. Cranger?" I can almost feel Cinna cringe. I never got rid of Feryn's name after he died, and now that we're a couple it must hurt to hear it.

"Yes?" I ask the chubby formal looking man in front of me. It seems as if he's come directly from Coin. He wears a finely tailored suit, obviously Venia's doing. What's left of his balding hair has been gelled back, and he reeks of Capitol Cologne. What is he doing here if he's obviously Capitol.

"Come with me. Your brother requested to see you." He says. That's when my little bubble of a world comes crashing down.

**DUN DUN DUN! What's gonna happen next? I dunno yet. Well, I do, but you're not allowed to know. Just come back for Chapter Six. Alright, peac-y-o's.**


	7. Chapter 6

**I WARN YOU, IMPLIED TORTURE AHEAD. A LITTLE BIT OF FLUFF, BUT NOT MUCH. IT'S JUST A BIG BALL OF ANGST ROMAnCE AND FLUFF. READ ON IF YOU DARE.**

I walk with the chubby man- he introduces himself as a man named Tulius Lockshern -and Cinna. He'd put up a hell of a fight, talking about how I needed him for moral support and how he would go whether they liked it or not. Not wanting any further repercussions, they simply let him follow me. Currently we walk hand in hand down a corridor.

"We're heading to 3909." Tulius announces. _3905, 3906, 3907, 3908, 3909. _We stop and I squeeze Cinna's hand. He kisses my forehead and turns the door handle. The first think that hits me is the stench. The smell of decaying and burning flesh- a smell I know all too well -and infection hits me like a punch to the gut. I stumble back a bit, but then look up. A drain is in the center of the room, as my eyes trail up, I get the look of a few things. Blistered and calloused feet, scars and wounds on a set of thin legs, a torso so thin I can see the ribcage- another thing I am all too familiar with -and a pair of chapped and bloody lips. A black eye encircles one green one, and the man in front of me is tired. He's broken. He's gotten things beaten out of him that I don't care to know about.

The man in front of me is Niko.

**Kay. That's the end. Yep. Short, I know. No, I wouldn't really do that to you, don't worry.**

He smiles at the sight of me, then scowls at the sight of Cinna. I step back again. His once silky and curly dark hair has been chopped off, much like Johanna's has.

"Niko. Big brother," I almost hate him. Almost. I have been almost raised by this man, hating him is too hard. But I do feel the anger well up in my heart when I see him. The things he did to me in that prison come rushing back to me. The beatings, the name calling, the electocution. It's all too familiar, all too real behind my eyelids.

Someone screams. No. Scratch that. _I_ scream. I fall to the tile, and he just laughs. Cinna- or Ceren, I'm not entirely sure -has his arms wrapped around me in an instant, rocking me and whispering sweet-nothings, and trying to bring back to reality. But all I can see is the fists, all I can feel is white-hot searing pain from being electrified. No... that's not all I feel.

I feel angry. And I want my revenge. I look up at my brother, who is chained to the wall. I take the gun- they want me to preform his execution, how cliche -and stand again. He seems unfazed as I click off the safety. But I don't shoot him. I throw the weapon. It catches him in the nose, causing him to bleed. Then the firearm drops to the ground. I feel a sense of satisfaction at the child-like act, but I'm not done. Not yet.

"You... you did things to me you shouldn't have," I begin my speech. Oh yes, he's going to hear my thoughts. "You were my brother, my father, my mother, my rock of all ages. You were the one I trusted and loved. I only wanted for you and Ferna to be safe. Yet you betrayed me, you betrayed Fern, and you betrayed everyone who ever cared about you. And I just want to know why?" I ask. I push my blonde ringlets from my eyes, wanting to stare him in his own. Green lock onto green, much like they did when we met in that damned cell.

"I just wanted to protect Ferna," he breaks. His bad-ass facade finally cracks. I almost rejoice. Almost. "They said they would do things to her... they would hurt her if I didn't. If I didn't join the Capitol's side. I guess I should have stopped when I learned that she was safe and in Thirteen, but I couldn't, not then. They threatened to kill you. I knew that would happen anyways... but... I wanted to prolong it. I wanted you to live as long as possible, if only for my selfish reasons. So you have it now, Lil' Tike. I greedily hurt you so you can live... isn't it a bit taboo?" He asks, and his eyes don't betray him. He's telling the truth.

"Oh Niko... why didn't you give me a sign though?" I've retreated back into Cinna's arms, that gladly welcome me.

"Because... because..." he trails off and gnaws his lip. "I don't know. I was only thinking on primal instinct to save you girls. I would never hurt you without a good reason, though Lil' Tike. Never. Please... you don't have to forgive me just believe me. Just forgive me." Niko is pleading now, his walls finally broken.

"I don't think, that would be a good idea. Her forgiving of course." Cinna speaks for the first time since we've arrived and I look up at him. He has tears in his eyes that are threatening to spill over at the slightest mention of something too sensitive.

"Are you her husband? Her lover? Her boyfriend? What?" Niko asks. Cinna frowns.

"Her lover." He mutters. Niko nods and looks directly at Cinna, his eyes leaving my own for once.

"They're going to kill me. I won't be able to protect them but... watch over them, will you? Please?" he asks. Cinna applies moisture to his lips before nodding. He pulls me closer into his chest.

"I can do that. I'm sorry you ever hurt her. She's a brilliant girl. So smart, so pretty, so lovable. She is something that never deserved to be hurt. And you sir... you hurt her. It wasn't the torture that broke her. It was the person issuing the torture that did." Tulius interrupts Cinna's little discours to tell us that we have to go now. To prepare for someone to distribute his execution. Cinna begins to pull me away, but I scream and hold steady.

"Don't kill him! Please! Please!" I scream. Niko looks at me one last time, and smiles. Not the wicked smile he's been wearing, but the sweet smile that reaches his eyes and makes them laugh.

'I love you, Lil' Tike' he mouths, before a real executioner enters. This executioner carries an axe with him. The last thing I hear before we enter the elevator is Niko's strangled screams for mercy.

**OHGODOHGODOHGOD IMGOINGTOGOTOHELLFORTHATISWEAR. IMGOINGTOHELLIMGOINGTOHELLIMGOINGTOHELL.**

**I'M SORRY ITHALIA! IT'S PART OF THE PLOTLINE! **

**(Before I start crying again, do you guys think that she's to Mary Sueish? Leave in the reviews *hinthint*)**


	8. Chapter 7

**No long A/N today, my friends. Just a quickie... my usual thanks to**

**UncreditedWriter**

**AnklebitersItNeverEnds**

**And so on and so forth.**

"I think you should go ahead and get tested, Ms. Cranger." The doctor says. I sit at the edge of the makeshift bed, the paper crinkling beneath my bottom. Only Cinna was allowed out of training to hear the news.

"Yeah... that's probably best." I say. The doctor pulls out a few needles and little tubes. As he draws my blood, he explains everything.

"We can get the results almost immediately, but we won't be able to tell the little details for about a day. If he's the father, the gender, etcetera." He explains. Cinna nods.

"Twenty-four hours?" He questions.

"Exactly," the doctor bandages up where he took the blood. "Tomorrow at the same time here. I'll get these into the scanner. See if we have anything to come back for." He says. Then he disappears from the room with the tubes of my blood. Cinna stands and kisses me gently.

"Think about it this way. If there is no child, we don't have to be committed. If you want, we could break it off." He whispers. His words sound almost giddy. Wasn't that what we had agreed on? If there wasn't a baby, he wouldn't stay. If there was, father or not, he would.

"I know. I know..." I don't want him to go. This attempt at love hadn't been all in vain, to say the least. I had fallen in love with Cinna, but he didn't feel the same, or that's what I presumed.

We sit in comfortable silence for awhile, just clinging to each other. The doctor enters not long after, holding the results. My grip on Cinna's hand tightens and he rubs a soothing thumb over the back of my hand.

"Well... uh... take it easy on the work for awhile Ms. Cranger-"

"Vixly. Her last name is now Vixly." Cinna says, highly annoyed. If I wasn't so nervous I would have laughed at his jealousy on a dead man.

"Mrs. Vixly, you're with child."

* * *

"With... child." I repeat for what seems like the millionth time that day. I had told Finnick, in my _Arts and Resources class_. And then told Beetee and Gale in _Nuclear and Innovated Weapons. _Beetee had been happy for me, seeing as though he'd almost adopted me as his own. Gale hadn't really cared, but had sent me a congratulations.

At lunch, Annie shares the same exact news as me. Finnick and Cinna are proud to say the least, congratulating each other with slaps on the backs. Peeta frowns and sighs. Then he looks back at Katniss.

"My therapist... he says that uhm... that... I used to love Katniss. Real or Not Real?" We'd invented this Game sometime back, to try and recreate Peeta's memory. We'd started out at small things, his favorite colors, his family names, etecetera. Recently he's been asking more serious questions though.

"Real. Definitely real. You uhm... you begged Haymitch to let you go in the Games to save her life. So she could come back home. There was a time where you almost took a bullet for her supposed affair a.k.a Gale, just because she loved him." Cinna says gently. Peeta nods and takes another bite of his sandwich.

"Okay. I won the 74th Hunger Games and I survived the 75th with you guys. Real or Not Real?" He asks.

"Real." We say in unision. No one goes into depth on that one, and he doesn't ask.

"Katniss once hated me and tried to kill my family. Real or Not Real?" He asks. The gleam in his eyes gives off multiple emotions. He wants it to be real so he can know he's not totally crazy, but he wants it to be not real because he wants to remember.

"Not real. Snow hated you for you stunt in the arena, and he killed your family during the District 12 bombing. The bakery was actually the first place hit. It's where they were hiding out." I say. Everyone turns to me in shock. How would I know this? I don't know, I think I remember Gale saying something about it.

"Oh. Okay, here's a fun one. Annie is having a boy, Ithalia is having a girl. Real or Not Real?" He asks. I shrug.

"We don't know yet. We're not even sure it's Cinna's." I say, grabbing his hand. He kisses my knuckles and shakes his head. Don't mention it. Got it.

"Real on us. We're having a baby boy. His name is going to be Brenner."

"No, name him Peeta!" I joke. Johanna shakes her head.

"Name 'em Cinna!"

"Finnick!" Cinna shouts. Peeta looks around. They've run out of men.

"No, no. Name 'em Haymitch!" he laughs. This sends the table into a fit of laughter, and Haymitch looks up with a raised eyebrow. He steps away from Hazelle and Mrs. Everdeen to come see what's the fuss about.

"I hear my name?" He asks. Haymitch's blue eyes are blood shot from withdrawal, and his skin is yellowish. He seems thinner, weaker. It's not the Haymitch I know.

"Coming up with names for Finnick and Annie's baby." Peeta says. Haymitch hums a little then smiles.

"What about Plutarch?!" He yells, loud enough for the cafeteria to hear. Plutarch, who was deep in conversation with Coin, blushes a crimson red. I have no idea why this is funny, just that it is.

"No, I got one! What about Gale?!" Plutarch shouts back. Gale stops eating his meal for a second to frown.

"Don't name it after me... name him Johanna." He smirks. Johanna's mouth falls open and she bites back a sly remark.

"I am not a boy, Hawthorne!" She calls back to him. Most of the dining hall has returned to eating their meal, but a few stop to watch the feud unravel.

"You sure Mason?"

"I'm sure I'll kick your ass!" Johanna yells. Gale snorts.

"You wouldn't hurt a fly." He calls back. Peeta gets a grip on Johanna's shoulder to keep her from launching at the boy. Katniss convinces Gale to sit down and carry on with his meal. Eventually we all calm down and go back to eating, but I know that fight between Gale and Johanna was deeper. Something is going on between those two, and I'm going to find it out.

Until then, I must worry about the child I am lugging around and whether or not it belongs to my fiance- _yeah, I know, that sudden_ -or to that bastard in my imprisonment.

**D-O-N-E. Thanksgiving break ends tomorrow, so I won't be getting my updates up as fast. Maybe four on the weekends, and then- if I get to the library in the morning -one during the occasional weekday. But my computer is confiscated during school days because I'm such a procrastinator. Alright, until next time, m'doves.**


	9. Chapter 8

**Hai, hai, hai. I'm just going to stop bothering you about the reviews, mkay? Mkay. I also suggest you listen to 1+1 by Beyonce, it embodies this chapter so fucking perfectly. I swear. Alright, special thanks to:**

**UncreditedWriter (following)**

**AnklebitersItNeverEnds (following)**

**Disclaimer: I finally own the HUNGER GAMES!... On DVD. Hehe, no. I don't own this thing.**

Excitement bubbles over as Cinna and I walk towards the Hospital. Prim is already there waiting. She holds the results solemnly in her hands and guides us to our room. All I can see right now is two different faces. Cinna's, with his wavy brown curls and his dazzling green eyes that I was drawn to the instant we met, or Ceren with his dark graying locks and his eyes, dark and cold.

"Hello Ithalia." Prim says, as we take a seat.

"Hey Prim. So... what's the results? Is he the father?" I ask. Prim giggles a bit and shakes her head.

"I don't have those results yet. I can tell you the gender though." She says. I feel my stomach drop, but I nod anyways.

"Okay, well... it says here that you're going to have a beautiful baby girl." She says.

"It says that?"

"No. It says a female. I added the rest. Congratulations, though." Prim smiles. Cinna and I thank her, and she leaves the room. Cinna looks at me, a wobbly smile on his face.

"If this child is mine... if I am her father... then... can we name her Portia?" He asks. I cock my head to the side. Of course, he would want her name her after Portia. She had been his number one, the love of his life.

"Yes. If it's not though... can we name her Feryn?" I ask. It's a unisex name, and it's perfect for a little girl.

"Of course, you can name her whatever you like. If it's mine, Portia... Ramona Vixly. If it's not, Feryn Ramona Vixly. That's fair." He whispers. We hold hands and talk mindlessly about work and classes and- in his case-training. Soon, the Doctor arrives. I realize that I never caught, or cared to remember, the doctors name. Oh well.

"Cinna, Ithalia..." he says. Cinna raises his hand.

"Oh. Hello there. Uhm... your child..." He skims through papers until he comes upon the one with the information needed.

"Cinna..."

* * *

"I can't believe this." I say, tears streaming down my cheeks. Cinna gives me a weak smile and envelopes me in his arms.

"Don't cry baby, there's no need to cry."

"I know... I know... but finally knowing is really overwhelming. I just... Cinna." I say, staring up into his eyes. They're glassed over and shiny.

"Portia Ramona Vixly. That's a beautiful name." He says. His lips capture mine in a way they never had. Lovingly. We stumble into our compartment, our hands trying to find the bed. He falls back on the bed, me on top of him. His hands trail over my waist, gripping me hard enough to leave hand prints.

"Cinna!" I gasp. I feel my heart-rate quickening. Cinna's mouth is leaving little delicious trails on the patches of pink skin from my electrocution. His mouth lingers on a previous love-bite from a few nights ago, and he kisses the slowly fading bruise. He moves right next that one and makes another one, his tongue proceeding it. I let out a little squeak, and fumble with buttons on his shirt. I slide it over his shoulders and toss it aside. My hands run down his expertly chiseled chest, and I give him a little love bite of my own. His erection grinds against that little warm spot between my legs and I swear I soak my panties right then.

Cinna let's out what sounds like a mix between a growl and a moan, and goes back to my body. Meanwhile, I undo his belt and his zipper. I slip my hand inside his boxers and wrap my hand around his erection.

"Fuck!" he groans, and I slowly move up and down on his shaft. Using my other hand, I massage his balls. I look up at him with an innocent look and smile.

"Such foul language, Mr. Vixly." I say. Cinna hisses and crashes his lips into mine. I swear I'll have so many bruises in the morning people will start to think he's hitting me, not fucking me.

"You're such a fucking tease." He groans, and I work both hands now on his throbbing member.

"I know. It's why you love me." It's a harmless enough comment, but it gives him a minutes pause. I brought up the 'L' word. Something we vowed not to say. Especially after our too quickly building relationship.

"One of the reasons." he replies. I refuse to release him, so he simply rips open my shirt. He unhooks my bra from the front and licks one of my hardening nipples. A moan escapes my lips and Cinna smiles in satisfaction.

"There's your soft spot." He says. I look at him wide-eyed.

"Cinna no." I say, in a warning tone. Too late. He ravishes my breasts, licking and sucking at my right one, massages my left. I let out a few growls of my own, and I can feel the bastard smiling.

After so much teasing, he manages to shimmy me out of my pants, and toss them aside. Now I am completely exposed in front of him. I release him from my grip, and instead grab the bed sheets. He kisses everywhere, starting at the top of my head and ending right in between my legs. He slowly- too damn slow, not slow enough, I can never make up my mind with Cinna -drags my panties down around my ankles. I kick them off and he gives my tummy one last kiss. The he inserts his tongue.

Let me tell you, I have never felt so much pleasure at once.

Cinna starts slowly, licking, licking, licking, never sucking. Then his fingers enter the mix, and I almost immediately reach my climax. His damn fingers are pumping, his mouth licking and- finally -sucking. It's enough to unravel me on the spot. So I push him away.

"Together." I whisper. He smiles and mounts me. Cinna stares into my eyes, I stare back into his. He's poised right at my entrance, practically begging for entrance. I nod my head and bite my lip. He pushes into me, slowly, gently, being ever so cautious. He bites that spot between my neck and my shoulder. A moan comes tumbling from my lips.

"Cinna..." I say. It's all he needs. He slowly starts to thrust, but his speed picks up gradually. I match his rhythm, moving my hips along with his. My nails dig into his back, my lips occasionally bruising his. Mostly, his mouth remains on my shoulder and neck, biting and kissing and sucking my sensitive spots. His name tumbles from my mouth, louder. Commands- _faster, harder, deeper, I said harder __dammit_ -escape my mouth and before I know it, I'm feeling fuzzy and warm.

I reach my orgasm before him. I scream his name so loud that my throat becomes raw. Tears drip down my face, not of pain but of happiness. Cinna has yet to reach his own climax though. So I treat him. I flip us so I'm on top, and I kiss him one last time. Then I slide down, and teasingly, lick his head. I wrap my mouth around his shaft and begin to go up and down. Using my tongue to assist me, I pleasure him in every way possible. I use my hands to massage his balls as I suck him off.

"Thalia how- what are- oh _fuck_." Cinna's words are an incoherent babble, he's making absolutely no sense. His fingers tangle themselves in my hair, and he pushes down, so I can get him whole. The sound he makes is something between a moan, a grunt, and a growl. I come all the way up, and lick up and down his shaft. I look up at him, in the most innocent way possible considering my position.

"Cinna, cum for me." I whisper. That does it. He loses himself. He pulls my hair and cums in my mouth. The looks on his face, the pure pleasure that he experiencing... I reach my second climax for no damned reason. He pulls me back up to him, kissing me- I try and warn him, but he says he likes the taste of himself, as long as it's on my lips -and whispering 'I love you's' into my ear. I just press my ear against his chest, and I swear to fucking god.

His heartbeat matches mine exactly.

**Alright, I hope you liked it. I literally had to have someone help me with this, I wanted it to be perfect. Please tell me, is it? Alright, peace-y-o's.**


	10. Chapter 9

When the week comes for Cinna to leave to the Capitol, Thalia has to push herself off their bed to catch up with him at the Hangar. She meets Annie and Johanna in the elevator, and the trio ride down to say goodbye. Thalia looks around for Cinna and finds him near the corner, packing up a duffel bag. His gun is propped on the wall next to him, and her heart swells with pride.

"_Cinna_!" Thalia calls. He turns to see her, and his face breaks into a smile. He envelopes his pregnant fiance, careful of her bulging belly.

"Baby, hey." He says. They kiss for a second before pulling away. "How are you?"

"My ankles are swollen, the baby is playing karate with my stomach, and my breasts are sore... I couldn't be better." She grins. Cinna laughs and kisses her again.

"I'll miss you, baby. I'll miss you _lots_." He says. Thalia nods and sighs.

"What if I go into labor while you're gone? I don't want her born without her father at my side." She says. Cinna sighs and kisses her head.

"I don't know." Suddenly Thalia grabs her stomach. Cinna is alert, his green eyes wide. But she just laughs.

"She kicked again. Want to feel?" He nods and she brings his hands to his stomach. Cinna smiles and kneels down to her stomach.

"Hey there, Portia. How are you baby girl? Daddy's going to miss you. You behave for mommy, don't come out without me." He whispers. Thalia laughs again and pulls Cinna back up to her.

"I love you. Good luck." She says, throwing her arms around his neck. Cinna kisses her, longer and more passionately this time.

"I love you too. I'll see you in a couple weeks. Bye baby." He says, picking up his duffel bag. Thalia hands him his gun, and he takes it. With one last kiss, he disappears with his Squadron. Annie meets Thalia and Johanna by the gate with the other wives and mothers to wish their family members goodbye. They watch as the hovercraft takes off. This will be a long few weeks.

* * *

"Turn on the news! Thalia, turn it on!" Johanna shouts, and fumbles with the remote. Thalia gets up from her spot on the floor with a toddler that she was babysitting and sits in the rocking chair. On the news, President Snow speaks.

"The Mockingjay and all who stood behind her are dead." He finishes. A face of Cinna shows up. His full name, age, death date, and his position. It takes all of Thalia not to burst into tears. Instead she lifts up baby Henley and takes her to get playpen. Then she calmly exits the room with Johanna in tow.

"Go get Annie, bring her here. We'll go from there." She says. Johanna nods and rushes off down the hallway. Thalia turns back into the room and sits down. A hand rests on her stomach, where Portia kicks crazily.

"I know, baby. I know." Thalia says. Annie and Johanna return a little later on, and to say Annie is distressed is putting it lightly. The girls clutch each other, watching the screen for more information. A knock on the door draws their attention away from the screen.

"President Coin." Johanna says. The President enters, her heavy heels clicking against the floor.

"I just want to inform you that everyone... excluding Lieutenant Boggs is alive and well. They're on their way to the mansion as we speak. It was a ruse to scare everyone. Cinna, Gale and Finnick are," a beeper goes off and she curses. "Alive but barely. I have to go." As she leaves, they all turn happily to each other.

"They're alive!" Annie squeals.

"But barely." Thalia adds.

"But they're _alive_!" Johanna says, adding to Annie's excitement. Thalia feels a wetness pooling in between her legs and she frowns. She looks down and her green eyes widen.

"My water broke!"

* * *

Twelve grueling hours of labor later, Portia Ramona Vixly is born. Tired and worn out, Thalia struggles to keep her eyes open when Portia is placed in her arms. She has her father's curly brown hair, and her own emerald green eyes. She's very quiet, no longer crying.

"Oh hello there, Tia." Thalia whispers. Annie smiles and swipes at her eyes. Her own pregnancy isn't far from now.

"She's pretty tiny, Thalia." Annie says. Thalia nods. Portia is only 6 lbs 7 oz., but what she lacks in size she makes up for in beauty.

"She's adorable." Johanna compliments. Thalia nods again and brushes back the soft curls on her head.

"Cinna is on the Holo." A nearby nurse says. Thalia takes the Holo and opens it.

"Cinna, baby. Hey." She says.

"Hey, how are you? Why are you in the hospital? Is the baby okay?" He asks nervously.

"She's fine... she's... Well, see for yourself." She turns the camera on Portia. She hears Cinna gasp and coo at the baby.

"Oh my god, she's so tiny. My little Portia." He says, when I turn the camera back around. I nod.

"Indeed. I have to go," Thalia glances at the clock. "But I'll talk to you soon. I love you."

"I love you too babe. Bye." Cinna clicks off the Holo. She hands the Holo and Portia off to a nurse before curling up sleepily.

_Can't wait for Cinna to come home._


	11. Chapter 10

A crying Portia wakes me. It must be at least four in the morning. I get up and pat her diaper. She's practically soaking. Then I stick my finger in her mouth. And she's hungry. Wow. After I change her diaper, I pad over to the tiny refrigerator we keep in my room. I retrieve a bottle and cross back over to her, picking her up and sitting on the couch with her. I watch the flickering television provided to us only recently. It's following Cinna, Finnick and Gale. I watch Cinna as he says something. No sound, so as not to wake Portia.

"Look baby," I say, adjusting her to see the screen. "That's daddy."

"Thalia?" A groggy voice asks. I turn to Annie, who's sitting up on her elbows in the bed. Due to her pregnant state, we'd switched. Johanna, who had been on the floor, moved to the other bed in the room. Annie moved to mine and Cinna's bed. I took the floor. I really don't mind. I did ask them to stay with me.

"Yeah?" I ask, looking back into Portia's green eyes. At this point, I wish she had Cinna's eyes. I could use the comfort I see when looking into them. Annie does the whole routine of getting out of bed, and sits next to me on the two person couch. Even then, I have to scoot over to

"I'm scared. For Finnick, I mean." Annie says, placing a hand over her stomach. I smile a little, as Cinna and the others enter the sewer. They're so close to the Capitol... just a little longer baby.

"Don't be. I can't guarantee he'll be fine... but I can guarantee he'll live." Just as I say that, white lizard mutts are leashed upon the gang. Annie screams, waking up Johanna. Johanna scrambles from the bed and comes to sit next to us. I sit on the arm of the couch and we all watch in anticipation. Katniss and the others scramble up onto the ledge, and watch as Cinna, Gale and Finnick fall behind. Annie screams again when a mutt takes Finnick's leg, and one claws at Cinna's back. Cinna and Gale;however, don't give up. They lift Finnick with much difficulty and struggle to the ledge. They manage, however to climb into the ledge and scramble away.

I don't realize that Johanna and taken the baby and put her down until after the scene. I slump to the floor and bury my face in between my knees. Johanna comes to sit next to me, followed by Annie. And we just hold each other. I feel my shoulder get wet from Annie's crying. Damnit, it's going to be a long few weeks.

* * *

"THEY'RE COMING HOME! GUYS, THEY'RE COMING HOME!" Annie shouts just as I walk in the door. It's been four days since the reptile accident, I'm surprised she hasn't lost her mind yet. I drop my bag- my job for changed to a nurse -and my identification onto the coffee table next to the door, and go to sit next to them.

"What is she talking about Jo?" I ask, after saying hi to Portia. Johanna smiles at me.

"Were uh... we're going to the Capitol. They won." She explains. Oh god, I need to sit down.

"We ship out in ten minutes." She says. Now I really need to sit down.

* * *

"Cinna!" I scream, tears rolling down my cheeks. I can't believe he's alive. He looks around before spotting me. He looks broken, terrified, angry, frustrated, but all that seems to melt away when he sees me. His face breaks out into a grin and a tear rolls down his own cheek.

"Ithalia!" He yells. He drops his gun and duffel bag to the ground before rushing to me and Portia. He tenderly takes her from my arms, and I stand on tiptoes to kiss him. It's not fairy tale, he has ash, grime and dirt and it's the worst kiss we've ever shared. Yet it is the best. He coos at Portia and she laughs, immediately in love with her father.

"I'm so glad you're okay... how's your back?" I ask. Cinna smiles and kisses me again.

"My back is fine. Hey, as soon as we get released, where do you want to go?" He asks, as we walk towards his things. He hands Portia off to me and lifts his gun and bag. I use a towelette to wipe the dirt that his fingers possessed from her cheeks.

"I think I want to move to four. With Finnick and Annie. She's supposed to be going into labor soon, y'know?" I say. Cinna frowns and walks towards the couple.

"As in now?" He asks. I look up to find Annie standing, horrified, in a puddle of water. Finnick is frowning, and his eyes lock onto mine. Then it clicks for him.

"Aw _shit_." I mutter.


End file.
